Line-tapping device for telephone and other circuits.



c. n. FORREST; I LIHBFIAPPING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE AND OTHER CIRCUITS.

, APPLICATION FILED KAB.19 1910-. 1,011,600.-

Patented Dc.12, 1 911 cLAR No n. FORREST, or MIDDLEPQRT, OHIO.

nmn-rArrme-nnvxon FOR TELEPHONE'AiIDbTHER cxRotrrrs.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 1 2 ,1911

Application filed. March 19, 1910.- .Serial No. 550.550.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I', CLAR NCE B. FORREST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middleport,- in, the county of Meigs and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Line-Tapping Devices for Telephone and other Circuits, of which the following is a specification. The object of .this invention is to provide improved portable devices for facilitating the temporary tapping of overhead electric circuits to enable communication with a cen tral or other station.

The invention is embodied in the construction hereinafter described and claimed," the lnvention not'being confined in its em-.

bodiment to precisely the forms and proportions of parts shown in the accompanying drawing formlng a part of thls disclosure.

In said drawing-Figu re 1 is a general view in elevation with parts broken out and in section. Fig. 2. is an edgeview of the contact making clip on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on llne aa-m Flg. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the seat for the clip on the end of the 'pole for-applyingthe clip to the line. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the position and action of the device in removing the clip from a line.

The contact making clip comprises two jaws 5 and 6, the jaw 5 in the instance shown heing a rigid bar of metal and the jaw 6 bemg a spring arm of metal secured to the jaw 5 by screws fi tapped into the jaw 5. The upper end of the jaw 6 is bent outward to fiare away from the jaw or bar 5 soas to readily admit the line. The bar 5 is extended somewhat upwardlybeyond the plane'of the end of the jaw 6 to permit the finding and guiding of the device on the wire and the wire into the space between the jaws. The jaw 5 is made with a series of notches 5' so that wires of different gage can be embraced with equal sufliciency. The means for applying these contact making clips consists preferably of a pole composed of a suit-- able number of sections 7 and 7 jointed with 'f and storage.

pole is provided'at its up er end with two ferrule joints after the manner of a fisherw mans pole soxthat they can be separated and bunched for compactness in transportatlon The upper section 7 of the seats for thecontactmaking clips-each of said seats consisting of a tubular member 8 secured to the end of the pole and provided slot the sides of'which formtongues 8&8; to fit in grooves 5 formed in the shank of the clip by bevelingoif the shank of the I part 5 before the shank-of the spring is secured thereto. The tubular member is left closed at 8* and its lower edge is beveled upward and outward from the pole as seen atS. I

-The clip, or a proper part thereof is, of

course,- made of a suitable conductor of electrlcity and the wires 9, 9 constituting the "conductors leading from a communicating instrument as, for example, a portable telephone transmitter and receiver asat 10, are connected'to the clips at one of the screws 6*.

In practice the clip or two of them are placed in their seats and elevated to the wires designated 12 with which it is desired I to connect them. Slight pressure upward serves to effect the connection of the clip with the line and a -downward withdrawal of the pole serves to disengage that instrument from the clip leaving the clip attached to the line. through the communication instrument is desired two of the clips are connected to the aerial circuit lines but where-there is only one aerial line a single clip is connected with such line and the other conductor of the communicating instrument grounded as well understood. When the connection has been effected the pole can be separated into its constituent sections and stored away. It isnot necessary to leave it dangling in the Where a metallic circuit air subject to the action of wind and weather. After use the clip is detached fromthe aerial line by simply giving a quick pull on the conductor attached to it, but to prevent disturbing the electrical connection between the screws 6 and the conductor I interpose ashort stout cord 11 of non-conductor so that strain on the conductor at its connection with the clip is avoided in the last described operation. Should the clip become accidentally detached from the conductor 9 or. 9 while attached to the aerial line, or should. the clip refuse to come ofi' by theusual proposed mode it can be certainly detached by placing the lower end of one of. the tubular members 8 above-the upper end 7 of the aw 5 of therefractory clip .and drawing down on the pole while the jaw 5 i's-in the hollow of the-tubular member. In this operationthe beveled edges 8 press in one direction on the line wire-while the wall of the tube draws on the jaw 5,.thus tending to line attached to said conductor, a pole to carry the clip to the aerial line, said pole having a seat to removably receive the said clip and said pole being readily detachable from said clip when the latter is connected with the aerial line.

2. In aerial electric line tapping means, the combination of a line tapping conductor, and a device thereon adapted to be engaged with the aerial line attached to said conductor, a pole to carry said aerial line engaging device to the aeriaLline, said pole having a seat to removably receive said line engaging device and said pole being readily detachable from said device when said device is connected with the aerial line.

3. In means for aerial electric line tapping, the combination of a contact making device, a pole having a socket-like seat to removably receive the contact making device, said seat being withdrawable from said contact making device when the latter is applied to the aerial line. i

4. In means for aerial electric line tapping, a pole having a seat for a removable contact making device, said seat consisting of a tubular member provided with a tongue to engage the contact-making member, said tongue permitting longitudinal removal only of the pole from said contact making member.

5. In means for aerial electric line tapping, the combination of a pole having asocket like seat provided with a tongue, and a detachable elongated contact making memher having a shank provided with a longitudinal groove adapted to be engaged. by

said tongue'when the contact making memwhereby the wire is released from its clamped position.

CLARENCE B. FoRRrTs'r.

Witnesses:

Geo. H. PARKER, T. T. REED. 

